Who's Favored At The Kentucky Derby?

If you're a fan of big, showy spectacles on sun-drenched weekend afternoons, count yourself lucky, because the world of horse racing has you covered ― Saturday, May 7 is when the 2016 Kentucky Derby will take place. And if you're going to be sitting in front of your TV watching it all go down (or even better, if you're there in person) you might want to know just who to expect a big day from: What are the odds on Kentucky Derby favorites?

Luckily, the Derby odds aren't hard to come by, in large part because everyone involved in the horse racing industry has a shared interest in a whole lot of bets being placed on Saturday. Here's how things looked when the lines were released Friday (although be warned, the odds can change leading up to the race, so you'll always want to double-check where they're at):

• Nyquist is the overwhelming favorite, at 3-to-1 odds.
• Exaggerator is the runner-up, at 8-to-1 odds.
• Creator, Gun Runner, and Mohaymen are all bunched up in a tie for third, at 10-to-1 odds.
• Mor Spirit and Brody's Cause are tied for fourth, at 12-to-1 odds.
• Destin, Danzing Candy, and Outwork are tied for fifth, at 15-to-1 odds.
• Suddenbreakingnews, Mo Tom, My Man Sam, Whitmore, and Shagaf are tied for sixth, at 20-to-1 odds.
• Majesto, Cherry Wine, Tom's Ready, and Lani are tied for seventh, at 30-to-1 odds.
• Laoban, Trojan Nation, and Oscar Nominated are bringing up the rear, all tied at 50-to-1 odds.

The annual race at the Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Kentucky, is always a high-profile event ― more so than any other horse race, certainly ― but last year, it was about as exciting as it's ever been, as hard-charging favorite American Pharoah secured the win, completing the vaunted Triple Crown for the first time since 1978. Sadly, this particular drama will be absent from Saturday's race, as no horse in the field is contending for the Triple Crown.

This time around, if you're looking to drop some money on the favorite, the stately steed pictured above is your guy. Nyquist, a 3-year-old colt (he's named after a player for the Detroit Red Wings hockey team), will participate in the Derby for his first and likely only time. Horse racing, after all, is a punishing sport for the animals ― last year's winner, American Pharoah, has already been retired from competition at the age of 4.

Simply put, you don't get very long to see these impressive animals run the track, so whether or not you're eager to actually throw some money down on the big race, you might want to to give a look. Just make sure you've got your Derby hat ready!